Sakura Uchiha (うちはサクラ, Uchiha Sakura, néeHaruno (春野)) is a kunoichi of Konohagakure. When assigned to Team 7, Sakura quickly finds herself ill-prepared for the duties of a ninja. However, after training under her master Tsunade, she overcomes this, and becomes recognised as one of the world's greatest medical-nin.

Contents

Background

Sakura as an Academy student.

Sakura is the only child of Mebuki and Kizashi Haruno. She had an ordinary childhood, raised by her parents without any serious tragedy or complication. When she entered Konoha's Ninja Academy, some of the girls in her class started picking on her because of her large forehead. Sakura tried to combat their teasing by hiding her forehead with her bangs, but this proved to the other girls that it bothered her and caused them to tease her even more. Ino Yamanaka, one of her classmates, saw this, defended Sakura from her bullies, and encouraged her to embrace her forehead rather than hide it.

Over the following years, Ino's guidance and friendship helped Sakura become comfortable with herself and develop into her own person. Though she felt indebted to Ino for helping her, Sakura began to feel that she was living in Ino's shadow when she, instead, wanted to be Ino's equal. At some point after she entered in the Academy, Sakura met Sasuke Uchiha and she developed a crush on him. When she told her friends, she was surprised to learn how popular Sasuke was with the girls. Sakura heard a rumour of Sasuke being attracted to girls with long hair and she began letting her hair grow to get his attention. A couple of years later, when she learned Ino had a crush on Sasuke, Sakura ended their friendship so that they could compete for Sasuke's love, thus beginning a bitter rivalry between them. In the anime, Sakura approached Ino, telling her of her liking towards Sasuke. Ino took it to end their friendship, starting their dislike towards each other in the beginning of the series.[10] When Sakura first attempted to confess to Sasuke, he rejected her because he didn't know her and she fled out of frustration and embarrassment. She vented her displeasure for his rejection by punching a tree and causing her Inner Sakura to be born.

Personality

Inner Sakura.

At the start of Part I, Sakura typically gives the outward impression of being polite to her superiors, considerate of her peers, and confident in herself. She has occasional moments of bashfulness around Sasuke Uchiha and competitiveness around Ino Yamanaka, but otherwise appears quite collected. This reservation, though never disingenuous, frequently masks how Sakura really feels: in certain situations she has pronounced feelings of delinquency, jealousy, and anger. Rather than display these emotions to others, she projects them inward, allowing a manifestation of who she truly is — what is labelled "Inner Sakura" (内なるサクラ, Uchi Naru Sakura) — to have the opinions Sakura wants to keep to herself. Inner Sakura, whose appearances are marked by an exclamation of "Shannarō!", is in a sense a personality separate from Sakura herself, a fact that allows her to overcome the Mind Body Switch Technique.[11] At other times, Sakura and Inner Sakura are indistinguishable from each other, usually with regards to Naruto Uzumaki; if Naruto says or does something that annoys or upsets her, Sakura responds with violence, a reaction that under other circumstances would be delegated to Inner Sakura.

Sakura's motivation to get stronger.

As Part I progresses, Sakura is increasingly exposed to the realities of the world, difficulties for which she cannot rely upon Inner Sakura to cope with. As an Academy student, Sakura succeeded through studying alone to the point of pride, able to avoid physical trials and thus allowing her to focus on her physical appearance in a bid to appeal to Sasuke. As a shinobi, however, this is insufficient: the long hair she puts so much effort into is a liability that opponents can use against her; missions cannot be completed with mere book smarts and it is necessary to be able to fight so that other shinobi will not kill her or her teammates. The latter makes Sakura particularly disappointed in herself, as she is unable to contribute much in battle and must rely on Naruto and Sasuke to save her. She sets out to change this about herself, dedicating nearly three years of training to making herself as capable as Naruto and Sasuke; in the meantime, she becomes willing to sacrifice herself to protect them, coming to value them both very deeply.[12] She looks to Naruto as a model for this goal, inspired by his rapid growth and his determination to be there for her and all those he held dear. When Sakura realises that she is as rude to Naruto as Sasuke usually is to her at his urging, she starts treating him better, cheering for his accomplishments and confiding her hopes and fears with him.

Inner Sakura makes one appearance at the very start of Part II and then is never seen again.[13] This is because Sakura is finally in touch with her feelings and is willing to express what she's thinking, a self-comfort she picked up during her training with Tsunade, though this has made her more emotional and impulsive at times. Her violent and/or loud outbursts are, as in Part I, uncontrolled and often directed at Naruto, usually as a reaction to his variations of the Sexy Technique, whenever he asks her out on a date or anything she feels is out of line, along with when anybody does something to offends her.[14] Sakura no longer thinks poorly of Naruto despite thinking he is an idiot and her earlier stern disparaging opinion of him that flares at times. She now holds his abilities in high regard, is ever-worrying for his safety and well-being to the point of easily feeling unbearable guilt, and values him as one of her closest friends. Despite criticising Naruto for his perverted nature, Sakura herself has a perverted side, enjoying something even Naruto thought was disgusting. Sai eventually points out that he believes Naruto knows Sakura too well for his own good, constantly placing himself in personal peril out of his feelings for her so that Sakura will be happy. Sakura is moved to tears by this, feeling unbearably guilty for what she feels she had put Naruto through; and despite her attempts to take responsibility for herself during the Summit by trying to deal with Sasuke herself, she still finds herself relying on him due to her own shaky resolve nearly costing Sakura her life. She ultimately settles for doing whatever she can for him, trying to do more in supporting him and his decisions concerning Sasuke, trying to do more to help him bear the challenges of being a jinchūriki, and fighting at his side whenever possible. She is helped in this goal by Tsunade's influence, who trained her to have a contempt for losing and an unbending will;[15] she will place herself at risk so that others don't need to and to assure her allies' victory.[16]

Sakura has been in love with Sasuke since childhood and initially focuses on getting his attention above everything else. Her initial infatuation for him was rooted from his good looks and calm, collecting attitude and his rejections failed to deter her. After becoming teammates, Sakura realised Sasuke's imperfections and suffering, and her desire shifted to helping him as much as she can, which caused that the two of them became closer and protective towards each other and that her feelings could develop into true love. Despite being grateful of her loving him after she confesses to stop him from defecting from Konohagakure, Sasuke rejects her but thanks her before leaving.[17] This rejection deeply upsets Sakura, driving her to plea for Naruto to bring Sasuke home and, when Naruto fails, motivating her to become stronger so that she can bring Sasuke back herself.[18] Sasuke, however, is colder to both Sakura and Naruto in Part II: he showed indifference to them when they meet after more than two years and, in moments of intense hatred while trying to cut his bonds with anyone, has even tried to kill them. She tries to separate herself from her feelings when Sasuke becomes an international criminal, attempting to kill him for Konoha and Naruto's sake and so that he won't sink lower,[19] but her love for him proved to be too great for her to harm him.[20] She resigns herself to the possibility that Sasuke is beyond redemption, but still, even at the end of the Fourth Shinobi World War, holds out hope that she may mean something to him.[21] Kakashi even states to Sasuke that Sakura no longer desires for him to return her feelings and she only wants to save him, even though it is breaking her heart. Despite Sasuke's crimes, Sakura was able to forgive him after he sincerely apologised to her for how much he hurt her. She was also surprised when he exhibited a much softer point with her and began poking her on the forehead, an affectionate gesture he picked up from his brother.[22]

After marrying Sasuke, Sakura became very loyal to him and even refused to leave his side while she was pregnant with their daughter, Sarada. Sakura raises Sarada on her own due to Sasuke being away on his mission for many years and she frequently reassures Sarada that Sasuke loves them both and will return home once his mission is over. She is also very patient and wise as her love and patience for Sasuke never faded even though Sarada was barely a toddler when he left. As a mother, Sakura is loving and protective, and has a very close relationship with her daughter and will praise her for her achievements just as quickly as she admonishes her for wrongdoing. Although Sakura is very supportive of Sasuke's duties, she is disappointed when he teases her by refusing to show her affection.

Appearance

Sakura has fair skin, green eyes, and pink hair. In her youth, she wore her hair as bangs in order to cover her large forehead and fend off her classmates' calling her "Forehead Girl" (デコリーン, Dekorīn, English TV: Billboard Brow). Ino Yamanaka encouraged her not to do this and wear her hair back instead, so that others could see her face. Later in her Academy career she let her hair get longer because of rumours that Sasuke Uchiha was attracted to girls with long hair.[10] When, during Part I, she realises that long hair is a vulnerability in combat situations, she cuts her hair and keeps it under shoulder-length from that point onward, which she sometimes pins up in a ponytail while working.[23] As Sakura gets older, she is noted to become very attractive, with Jiraiya likening her looks to Tsunade's own.

Sakura in Part I.

Sakura in Part II.

Sakura during the Fourth Shinobi World War

1 of 3

In Part I, Sakura wears a red qipao dress — at various times either with or without short sleeves — with slits along the sides accompanied by a zipper and white circular designs. She also wears tight dark green bike shorts with a shuriken holster around her right thigh, blue sandals, and the standard Konoha forehead protector worn as a hairband. Colour illustrations from the manga tend to depict her using nail polish and eye-shadow in Part I, both of which are not present in the anime. In Part II, Sakura's typical outfit consists of a red top with the same design as the upper-half of her Part I outfit. Accompanying this are black gloves, low-heel, knee-high boots, black shorts underneath a short grey apron skirt, and grey elbow protectors (her skirt and elbow protectors are pink in the anime). The cloth of her forehead protector is changed to red and she starts carrying a medical pouch. Sakura wears the standard Konoha infantry flak jacket and assorted clothing during the Fourth Shinobi World War. She also gains the Strength of a Hundred Seal — in the shape of a violet rhombus — on her forehead, which remains visible thereafter.

Sakura upon becoming a jōnin.

Sakura in adulthood.

1 of 2

Two years after the Fourth Shinobi World War, Sakura wears a sleeveless red qipao dress that reaches her upper thighs, with white trimmings and a white circular design on the back similar to her Part I attire; it is tied with a black obi. She wears black shorts underneath the dress, black gloves, and grey elbow and knee protectors. She has also changed her previous boots to regular black, high heeled ninja sandals. In adulthood, Sakura's attire consists of a red sleeveless qipao top that exposes her navel, the back of which carries the Uchiha clan crest and falls to her knees. She also wears light-coloured pants and high heels. For battle, Sakura wears a red top similar to her Part II one, with the Uchiha clan crest on the back, elbow protectors and flatter sandals. At home, she often dons a long white apron and keep her fingernails long and well-manicured.

Abilities

Sakura defeating dozens of Ten-Tails mini-clones.

As a genin, due to her focus on her studies, Sakura lacked any particular combat skill, other than the basic skills she learned in the Academy. This greatly limited her role in missions, to the point where she frequently noted how much she relied on her teammates, Sasuke and Naruto. Determined to change herself, she undergoes intense training with Tsunade for two-and-a-half years, greatly improving her skills. Others remarked that Sakura would inevitably surpass Tsunade[9][24] and is once again recognised for her talent after having formed the Strength of a Hundred Seal during the Fourth Shinobi World War.[25][26]

Chakra Control and Physical Prowess

Sakura has shown to be skilled in taijutsu, able to easily defeat several of Sasori's fast-moving puppets,[31] and easily maul through Toneri's puppets.[27] In Part I of the anime, despite not being known for her strength, she was able to uproot a mast from a ship and use it as a weapon.[32] Sakura has also proven to have quick reflexes, able to grab Obito and get to safety just as the dimension he opened released acid.[33]

As seen in Part I, Sakura's most defining skill was her proficiency in chakra control.[34] Such exact use of her chakra allows her to perform a jutsu with maximum efficiency without wasting much chakra. Due to this, Kakashi Hatake noted that she is well-suited for genjutsu. While never actually seen using genjutsu, she is frequently able to quickly identify when genjutsu is being used,[35] and then release herself and others from it.[36] By The Last: Naruto the Movie, she becomes resistant to genjutsu.

Sakura decimating the landscape with her strength.

After training under Tsunade for over two years, her chakra control increased tremendously, becoming a vital part to many of her abilities. By building up chakra into her fists (and infrequently her feet) and releasing it on contact with a target, it grants her what Naruto constantly refers to as "monstrous strength". Sakura's strength is enough to destroy buildings or upend the earth. When used against living targets, Sakura can break bones, rupture organs, or even kill with a single strike. Sakura's strength was enough to damage Kaguya Ōtsutsuki with one blow, breaking one of her horns off and drawing blood despite Kaguya's immense durability.[37] Furthermore, she can send chakra throughout her entire body and improve her ability to withstand crushing blows.[38]

Sakura releasing her seal.

Another objective of Tsunade's training was to increase Sakura's available chakra supply to complete the Strength of a Hundred Seal, something that would take three years do.[25] When the seal is released, Sakura has access to all the accumulated chakra, allowing her to perform jutsu of a greater scale than she is normally able to,[39] and among other things, make her physical attacks even more powerful.[25] She can also transfer this chakra to others.[40]

Ninjutsu

Sakura and Katsuyu heal the tired and injured.

Sakura has shown to be efficient in shurikenjutsu, able to accurately pin a falling Naruto to a tree with a kunai from a distance. By Part II, Sakura could use the Summoning Technique, and like Tsunade, summon Katsuyu, a giant slug. By having Katsuyu split apart and attach itself to others, Sakura could remotely monitor many allies at once, healing them and replenishing their chakra as needed.[41] By the time of the Fourth Shinobi World War, Sakura's natures included Earth, Water, Yin, and Yang Release.[5]

Medical Ninjutsu

Sakura (with Ino) heals an injury.

The main purpose of Tsunade's training was to teach Sakura medical ninjutsu and thus make her a medical-nin, which demanded Sakura's refined chakra control. As such, Sakura can heal even the most fatal of injuries.[42] Tsunade remarks that her proficiency for healing are exceptionally rare.[43] When dealing with an enemy with an extremely resistant body, she could combine her chakra-enhanced fists with her medical ninjutsu to heal the resulting damage, eventually killing the affected cells from over-replication.[44] By releasing the Strength of a Hundred Seal, Sakura can put her body in a state in which it heals itself so that she doesn't need to stop to treat herself or even be fazed by injury.[45] In the anime, she could perform a highly difficult operation alone to regenerate a missing section of the body while using a part of individual's body as a medium by using four formula-lines to restore the missing section of the body.[46]

Sakura extracting poison.

If healing ninjutsu proves ineffective, Sakura can make incisions in her patients with the Chakra Scalpels to try and directly treat her patients' vital organs.[47] She can also cure those who have been poisoned by extracting the poison from their bodies, while simultaneously repairing the damage — something which even poison-experts like Chiyo cannot do. To ensure a complete recovery, Sakura can create an effective antidote after analysing the poison's contents, even for poisons that Sasori did not believe anyone but himself could make antidotes for.[48]

Her medical expertise extends to more standard medicine as well, enabling her to perform autopsies and examine cells with a knowledge of genetics.[49] She was taught by Tsunade how to make fast-acting sleeping gas,[50] and was taught by Shizune on how to concoct poisons that, when coated on weapons, could debilitate or paralyse a person with a single scratch.[51] In the anime, Sakura created even created her own version of Military Rations Pills, intended to have more medicinal purposes and be easier to consume.

By the time of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, she had also learned the Healing Power Alteration Technique (癒力変生の術, Yuryoku Hensei no Jutsu), although it is unknown what this entails.

Intelligence

Sakura completes the Chūnin Exams' written test without the need of cheating.

While she was in the Academy, Sakura received consistently high test scores.[52] It is because of her diligence in her studies that Sakura initially struggled in combat situations, for which reason she was added to Team 7 so that she could benefit from the more battle-oriented Naruto and Sasuke, while in turn, they would benefit from her large knowledge base. She was able to answer the written portion of the Chūnin Exams all by herself, something genin were not expected to be able to do.[53] Sakura's intelligence is nevertheless consistently useful, making her observational enough to guess an opponent's tactics from a brief scan of the battlefield and pick up on otherwise minor inconsistencies in conversation.[24][54] Sasuke deemed her analytical skills to be superior to his Sharingan.[35]

She has excellent memory, able to quickly piece together multiple pieces of information she's previously come across in order to form a hypothesis.[55] In actual combat, Sakura frequently relies on misleading her opponents, either by letting them think they've outsmarted her so that they lower their guard,[56] or letting them think they've defeated her so that they will approach her, and she can defeat them with a single punch.[54]

Part I

Prologue — Land of Waves

Upon graduating from the Academy and being assigned to Team 7, Sakura is initially devastated when she learns that Naruto Uzumaki is to be one of her teammates; she is immediately afterwards ecstatic to learn that Sasuke Uchiha is to be her other teammate. She tries to bond with Sasuke by stating her envy of Naruto's lack of parents, but this only offends Sasuke, who tells her that she is annoying. Sakura is hurt and, on realising that she says similar things to Naruto, decides to try to be nicer to him. Team 7's leader, Kakashi Hatake, tests their qualifications with a bell test, stating that whichever of the three takes one of the two bells on his person will officially become genin. While Naruto busies himself attacking Kakashi, Sakura seeks out Sasuke to see if she can help him. Kakashi finds her during her search and defeats her with an illusion of Sasuke dying; Naruto and Sasuke are also defeated. Kakashi explains afterwards that the goal of the test was to use teamwork, to do together what none of them could do by themselves. He is persuaded to allow them to try again after lunch, but instructs Sasuke and Sakura not to feed Naruto. Sasuke feeds him anyway, needing him in top-form if they're to work together, and Sakura does the same. Kakashi sees this and, because they care more about the team than listening to his instructions, allows them all to pass.

Team 7 protecting Tazuna.

After a series of uneventful D-rank missions, Naruto is able to secure a C-rank mission for Team 7: escorting Tazuna to the Land of Waves. Soon after leaving Konoha they are attacked by the Demon Brothers, who go after Tazuna. Sakura immediately places herself in front of Tazuna to protect him and stands her ground until Kakashi captures the brothers. Tazuna confesses that assassins have been hired to kill him but that he couldn't afford the bodyguard detail he needs. Although the mission is now A-rank in nature — far beyond the skill of genin — Team 7 decides to continue with it. When they reach the Land of Waves and are attacked by Zabuza Momochi, Sakura once again protects Tazuna while Kakashi, and later Naruto and Sasuke, fight Zabuza. Zabuza is ultimately seemingly killed by Haku, allowing Team 7 to escort Tazuna back to his house.

Kakashi finds Zabuza's death suspicious and decides to train the team in case he returns. He has them perform the Tree Climbing Practice to improve their chakra control, which will help them against Zabuza. Sakura masters the exercise on her first try, thus leaving her in charge of protecting Tazuna while Naruto and Sasuke train and Kakashi recovers from his fight with Zabuza. After a week, the rest of the team joins her, but when they reach the bridge that Tazuna has been working on they find Zabuza and Haku waiting for them. Sasuke and later Naruto fight Haku while Kakashi fights Zabuza, once again leaving Sakura in charge of protecting Tazuna. The thick mist prevents her from seeing how the fight against Haku is going, so she is surprised when Haku suddenly interferes in Kakashi's fight with Zabuza and is killed.

Sakura cries for Sasuke.

When Naruto comes looking for Haku, Sakura asks him where Sasuke is. When Naruto refuses to respond, Sakura becomes worried, but stays put because she cannot leave Tazuna's side. When Tazuna offers to come with her, she quickly leads him to where Sasuke is and finds him seemingly dead. Overcome with emotion, Sakura knowingly violates the shinobi rules and cries for him. When Sasuke later wakes up, Sakura embraces him, explains that Haku has been killed, and shares the news of Sasuke's survival with Naruto. Zabuza also dies, allowing Team 7 to return to Konoha when their injuries heal via Tazuna's newly-constructed Great Naruto Bridge.

Chūnin Exams

Main article: Chūnin Exams
Team 7 resumes its series of unremarkable missions. After returning from one mission, Sakura tries to spend some time with Sasuke, who rejects her. This places Sakura in a bad mood, causing her to lash out first at Naruto when he suggests to Konohamaru Sarutobi that he and Sakura are dating, and then at Konohamaru when he insults her for harming Naruto. This all attracts the attention of Sunagakure's Three Sand Siblings, who have come to Konoha to take part in the Chūnin Exams. Sasuke returns and drives the Sand Siblings off, and later Kakashi meets with them to enter them in the Chūnin Exams as well. He neglects to mention that they must enter as a team, worried that Sakura might only participate because of Sasuke, and so is glad when she independently decides to participate. Before the Chūnin Exams begin, Sakura is met by Rock Lee, who asks her to go out with him and offers to protect her with his life. Sakura flatly refuses, being bothered by his eyelashes, hair style, and thick eyebrows.

For the Chūnin Exams' first stage, the participating genin are given a written test with ten questions. From looking over the questions, Sakura realises that the questions are too complicated for most genin, especially Naruto, to be able to answer without cheating; Sakura herself is able to answer the first nine questions on her own. Before being given the tenth question, genin are warned that if they answer it incorrectly they will never be allowed to take the Chūnin Exams again. Sakura becomes worried that Naruto is too proud to not try to answer the question, and that when he inevitably gives the wrong answer his disqualification will ruin his dreams of becoming Hokage. She prepares to forfeit on his behalf, but Naruto insists on answering the tenth question no matter what, causing her to change her mind. For their willingness to face the tenth question despite the potential consequences, Team 7 and the remaining genin pass to the second stage.

For the second stage, teams enter the Forest of Death for a five day survival challenge. Shortly after the second stage begins, Team 7 is attacked by Orochimaru, who Sasuke and Sakura, sensing his killing intent, realise is far too strong for them to fight. Sasuke tries to surrender in exchange for their lives, but Naruto insists on fighting Orochimaru anyway. Both Sasuke and Sakura are surprised by how well Naruto does, though he is ultimately defeated and knocked unconscious. Sakura pins him to a tree with a kunai to stop him from falling and observes to Sasuke that Naruto, despite all his shortcomings, isn't a coward. This convinces Sasuke to fight Orochimaru as well; Orochimaru becomes impressed by Sasuke and, before he leaves, he brands Sasuke with a Cursed Seal of Heaven, rendering him unconscious as well.

Sakura cuts her hair.

Sakura moves Naruto and Sasuke to a secluded area where she watches over them through the night. In the morning, they are tracked down by Team Dosu, Orochimaru's underlings who have instructions to kill Sasuke. They bypass the booby-traps she laid earlier and move in on her, but she is saved by Rock Lee. Lee fights Team Dosu by himself, planning to make good on his earlier promise to protect her, but is eventually defeated. Sakura begins attacking Team Dosu herself, but she is restrained by Kin Tsuchi, who grabs her by the hair and berates her for how much time she clearly spends on it. Determined to not keep needing the help of others, and motivated by Naruto and Sasuke, Sakura cuts her hair to free herself and starts attacking, persevering despite Zaku Abumi's many counterattacks.

Sakura stops Sasuke.

Sakura's courage convinces the observing Ino Yamanaka and the rest of Team 10 to come to her defence. Team 10 fights Team Dosu until they are interrupted by Sasuke, imbued with the power of his cursed seal. When he sees Sakura's injuries, Sasuke breaks Zaku's arms in punishment and threatens to do the same to the rest of his team. Sakura is horrified by his actions and embraces him, begging him to stop. Sasuke's cursed seal recedes and he complies, Team Dosu retreats, and Teams 7, 10, and Lee's Team Guy regroup. When Naruto wakes up he makes fun of Lee's eyebrows, prompting Sakura to strike him. Before they go their separate ways, Lee vows to Sakura that he will become stronger.

Sakura and Ino knock each other out.

Team 7 spends several days recuperating from their ordeal but they are able to reach the centre of the forest in time to advance to the Chūnin Exams' preliminaries: a series of one-on-one qualifying matches. Sakura tries to convince Sasuke not to participate because of his cursed seal, but he ignores her, insisting that it's his business and not hers. For her match, Sakura is paired against Ino. They start by trading insults and then punches, surprising Ino because Sakura proves her equal in both categories. Frustrated, Ino follows Sakura's earlier example by cutting her hair, a ruse that allows her to immobilise Sakura while she uses her Mind Body Switch Technique. In control of Sakura's body, Ino tries to make her forfeit the match, but she is stopped and exorcised by Inner Sakura. They are both exhausted by this, but exchange one final blow, knocking both out.

When Sakura wakes up, Ino informs her that their match was ruled a tie, and that therefore neither of them will continue to the final rounds. Despite this, they decide to rekindle their friendship, though can't help but continue to bicker over Sasuke. Sakura watches the remaining matches, including Lee's match with Gaara, during which Lee loses and is badly injured. A few days later, Sakura visits the hospital to see Sasuke, but discovers he's already been taken away by Kakashi. While she's there, she sees Lee training despite his injuries, causing him to fall unconscious as a consequence; she leaves the flower she brought for Sasuke with him instead. Sakura worries about Sasuke over the following month, especially when he is missing for his match with Gaara during the finals. He does finally show up (late), and Sakura watches with interest.

Konoha Crush

Sasuke's match is interrupted by an invasion of Konoha and a genjutsu descends on the stadium where the finals are being held, putting most of the audience to sleep. Sakura is able to dispel the genjutsu, attracting the attention of invading Otogakure forces. She is saved by Kakashi, who instructs her to wake up Naruto and Shikamaru Nara. She does so (though Shikamaru was only pretending to be asleep) and when they're assembled, Kakashi sends them and Pakkun after Sasuke, who is pursuing Gaara. Oto-nin start following them, so Shikamaru falls behind to delay them. Naruto and Sakura catch up to Sasuke in time to save him from one of Gaara's attacks. When Gaara sees Sakura's determination to defend Sasuke, he knocks her unconscious and binds her to a tree. Her bindings dissolve when Gaara is defeated, which Sakura assumes she has Sasuke to thank for. Sasuke corrects her when they get back to Konoha, explaining that it was Naruto who saved her.

Land of Tea Escort Mission

Main article: Land of Tea Escort Mission
In the anime, Team 7 is sent to the Land of Tea to protect Idate Morino as he runs a race. When Team Oboro and later Aoi Rokushō try to stop Idate, Naruto and Sasuke fight them while Sakura remains alert for opportunities for Idate to run to safety. Sasuke is eventually knocked out by Aoi, and Sakura looks after him until Aoi is defeated by Naruto. After Idate wins the race, Team 7 returns to Konoha.

Sasuke Recovery Mission

Sakura visits Sasuke everyday while he's in the hospital, tearfully hugging him once he finally regains consciousness. She continues looking after him as he recovers, but he repels her kindness, angered by his earlier defeat by his brother, Itachi Uchiha. When Naruto comes to see him, Sasuke challenges him to a fight, which Naruto agrees to over Sakura's protests. She watches as they exchange attacks on the hospital roof, but decides she can't let things continue when Sasuke prepares a Chidori and Naruto prepares a Rasengan. She runs between them to stop them, but neither is able to pull away in time; Kakashi appears and flings them apart, saving Sakura. Sasuke storms off and Kakashi, before he follows, promises Sakura that he'll set things right.

Sasuke thanks Sakura.

Sakura takes Naruto aside afterwards and tells him about the cursed seal Sasuke received from Orochimaru, which she'd until now kept from him at Sasuke's request. She shares her concerns that Orochimaru is trying to tempt Sasuke to defect from Konoha, but Naruto assures her that Sasuke would never do that. This comforts her at the time, but she continues to worry and, that night, waits at the village's exit. Sasuke eventually approaches with his belongings, confirming her fears. Sasuke tells her to go home, but Sakura refuses, instead asking why he always pushes her away and reminding him of all the good times Team 7 has had. She tries to persuade him to stay so that she won't be alone and, when that doesn't work, argues that his revenge against Itachi isn't worth it. When Sasuke remains determined to go, Sakura tells him she loves him and offers to go with him. Sasuke tells her that she is annoying, just as he did after Team 7's formation. Sakura threatens to scream for help, so he knocks her out; he thanks her before he does.

Sakura asking Naruto to bring back Sasuke.

Sakura is found on a bench the next morning, and when she wakes up she sends word to Tsunade, the new Hokage, that Sasuke has defected. The Sasuke Recovery Team is formed to go after him, which Sakura approaches as they prepare to set out from Konoha. Sakura begs Naruto to bring Sasuke back to Konoha, believing he is the only person who can get through to him at this point. Naruto vows to do so, even if it takes his entire life, and Sakura cries at his dedication to her. Despite his promise, Naruto is unable to bring Sasuke back. Sakura visits him in the hospital and, after trying to avoid the subject, tells him that she won't hold him to his word. Naruto, however, refuses to go back on what he said. Touched, Sakura apologises to Naruto for what he's gone through and promises to personally help him bring Sasuke back next time.

Land of Rice Fields Investigation Mission

In the anime, Sakura accompanies Naruto and Jiraiya to the Land of Rice Fields to investigate one of Orochimaru's lairs and potentially retrieve Sasuke. The mission ends in failure. When they get back to Konoha, Sakura, as in the manga, asks to become Tsunade's apprentice so that she can better meet the challenges she'll face in the future. Tsunade accepts.

Mizuki Tracking Mission

Main article: Mizuki Tracking Mission
In the anime, Sakura focuses on her training, preventing her from helping Naruto with many of the missions he goes on. When he returns from one such mission, she informs him that she's succeeded in healing a fish.

Gantetsu Escort Mission

Sunagakure Support Mission

Main article: Sunagakure Support Mission
In the anime, Sakura and the rest of the Konoha 11 are sent to Sunagakure to help the Sand Siblings in their fight with the Four Celestial Symbols Men; Sakura heals Gaara during his fight with Suiko. Ino, jealous of Sakura's new-found healing abilities, asks to train with Sakura to be a medical-nin. Sakura agrees, but Ino is dismayed when Sakura reminds her that she will be her junior during the course of their training.

Interlude

In Naruto's Footsteps: The Friends' Paths

In the anime, about two years after Naruto leaves Konoha to train, another Chūnin Exam is held. Because participants must enter as part of three-man teams, Ino invites Sakura to be Shikamaru's replacement on Team 10 since Shikamaru is already a chūnin. During the first exam, Sakura, Ino, and Chōji are seated in different rooms and are tasked with getting a combined score of exactly 100 points on their written test despite their separation. Ino telepathically contacts Sakura and Chōji in order to assign which questions to answer. After the initial testing period is over, they are given a bonus question: each team must unanimously select one of their members to disqualify from the rest of the exams. Team 10 selects nobody, which is the correct answer and which qualifies them for the next phase.

Sakura facing Ameno.

Those who pass the first exam must reach the Demon Desert within three days in order to participate in the second exam. Team 10 successfully does so and they are given the same objective as they had in the exam several years ago: obtain a scroll from another team. They wander through the desert for three days, losing their provisions to an Ame-team.[57] While recuperating at an oasis, they are attacked by Team Ameno. Ino once again telepathically links with Sakura and Chōji to coordinate their attacks and help them locate their attackers, resulting in Team Ameno's defeat. Once Sakura and Ino heal their injuries, Team Ameno offers them their scroll. However, theirs is the same scroll that Team 10 already has, so they are allowed to keep it. They go their separate ways, agreeing to meet again in the third exam.[58]

Sakura and the other genin being promoted to chūnin.

Team 10 is later attacked by Team Saya. Sayapossesses Ino's mind and forces her to attack Sakura. When Chōji, meanwhile, begins overwhelming Saya's teammates, Saya possesses his mind instead, and she forces him to attack Sakura using his Super Multi-Size Technique.[59] Ino is able to release Chōji, forcing Team Saya to retreat. Team 10 is afterwards trapped in a sandstorm, during which Ino and Chōji are poisoned by a cloakedMamushi. Sakura escapes the sandstorm, defeats Team Saya, and then returns to heal Ino and Chōji.[60]

Team 10 is eventually found by one of the exam's proctors, who brings them to where all of the other genin are being assembled. They are informed that the Chūnin Exams have been cancelled; reports on the participants' performances will be sent back to their villages, leaving their promotion up to their superiors. When they get back to Konoha, Tsunade promotes Sakura, Ino, and Chōji to chūnin.[61]

Part II

Kazekage Rescue Mission

Main article: Kazekage Rescue Mission
Tsunade informs Sakura of Naruto's return after two-and-a-half years of training. She goes to greet him and is initially glad that he's back, but is violently disappointed when he quickly gets back into a competition of Sexy Techniques with Konohamaru Sarutobi. Kakashi reforms Team 7 with them and gives them another bell test, though unlike last time, taking the bells from him is the real objective. Kakashi vanishes shortly after the test begins and Sakura, after determining that he's nowhere above ground, concludes he's below ground. To force him out, she shatters the earth with Cherry Blossom Impact, frightening both Kakashi and Naruto. Despite their improved abilities, neither Sakura nor Naruto are able to get a bell through conventional means, and it is only by Naruto's threat to spoil the latest Icha Icha book that they are able to lower Kakashi's guard long enough to take his bells.

While Team 7 tries without success to find a mission to go on that Naruto won't complain about, word reaches Konoha that Akatsuki has kidnapped Gaara, the Kazekage. Team 7 is sent to Sunagakure to lend assistance in rescuing Gaara. On their way to Suna, Naruto explains that Gaara was kidnapped because he is the jinchūriki of the One-Tail, just as Naruto is the jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails. When they reach Suna, they are informed that Kankurō was poisoned by Akatsuki member Sasori in his failed attempt to rescue Gaara, and that none of the village's medics can heal him. Sakura is able to remove the poison from his body, from which she prepares some antidotes, impressing Chiyo. Chiyo, Sasori's grandmother, ultimately decides to accompany Team 7 as they leave to find Gaara, helping them navigate the local country.

Sakura destroys Hiruko.

On their way to the Akatsuki lair where Gaara has been taken, they are met by Itachi Uchiha, the brother who Sasuke defected from Konoha in order to kill. Although eager to face him, Sakura must leave most of the fighting to Kakashi due to his Sharingan; when Naruto is trapped in Itachi's genjutsu, Sakura and Chiyo release him. The Itachi is eventually discovered to be an impostor, so they continue to the Akatsuki lair. They meet Team Guy there, who takes down the barrier over the entrance so that Team 7 can get in. Deidara flies off with Gaara's body as soon as they enter, and Naruto and Kakashi pursue him, leaving Sasori to Sakura and Chiyo. Chiyo informs Sakura that what appears to be Sasori is actually one of his puppets, Hiruko. She also warns that all of Hiruko's weapons are likely coated with poison. With this in mind, Chiyo guides Sakura to Hiruko unharmed, allowing her to destroy it.

Sakura landing a devastating punch on Sasori.

With Hiruko gone, Sasori starts using his human puppet of the Third Kazekage. Although it initially appears no different from a standard puppet, such that Chiyo is able to fight it with her Mother and Father puppets, the puppet is discovered to have access to the Third's Iron Sand, which has also been imbued with poison. The Iron Sand neutralises the Mother and Father puppets and then forms into blocks, which Sakura, with Chiyo's guidance again, is able to punch away. Sasori's Iron Sand World Method proves more difficult to avoid and Sakura receives several scratches, causing her to collapse from the poison. She is able to administer the antidote, however, allowing her to destroy the Third when it moves in to finish her off. Angered by this, Sasori reveals that his own body is a puppet now and he goes after Chiyo. Sakura intercepts him and destroys his body, but he's able to reassemble it.

Sasori brings out his Hundred Puppet Army and Chiyo brings out her Ten Puppet Collection of Chikamatsu. While the two sides battle, Sakura moves closer to Sasori and places a seal on him. Sasori is able to transfer his living core to another puppet before the seal connects, sneaks up on Chiyo, and attacks. Sakura shields the attack with her body and is both fatally wounded and poisoned. While Chiyo gives her the final antidote, Sasori attacks Chiyo again, only to fall into her trap and have his core stabbed by the Mother and Father puppets. Chiyo then heals Sakura's wound. Having guessed that Sakura was able to create an antidote for his poison — something he thought was impossible — Sasori decides to reward her before he dies: he tells her of a spy his was within Orochimaru's ranks who he had plans to meet in Kusagakure in ten days. Chiyo collapses once he's dead, but refuses Sakura's offer to take her back to Suna to make another antidote.

At Chiyo's request, Sakura carries her to Naruto and Kakashi, who have managed to retrieve Gaara. Sakura attempts to revive Gaara, but the removal of the One-Tail has caused him to die. Chiyo uses the One's Own Life Reincarnation on him, bringing him back to life at the cost of her own. As the jutsu nears completion, Chiyo warns Sakura not to risk her life to protect someone as old as she is again, believing Sakura is too valuable. Gaara is successfully resurrected and, a few days later, Teams 7 and Guy attend Chiyo's funeral in Sunagakure before returning home.

Tenchi Bridge Reconnaissance Mission

Main article: Tenchi Bridge Reconnaissance Mission
With the intel gained from Sasori, Team 7 begins planning to meet the spy in the hopes that it will help them reunite with Sasuke. Kakashi is left bedridden from his fight with Deidara, requiring Yamato to lead Team 7 as his replacement. The Konoha Council also requires that Sai be assigned to Team 7 as Sasuke's replacement. Naruto immediately dislikes Sai, declaring him an inferior version of Sasuke. Sai is happy for this distinction and proceeds to degrade Sasuke for defecting from Konoha. This angers Sakura and she hits him, forcing Yamato to use his wood release to break up their fight. Despite this incident, Sakura has difficulty holding a grudge against Sai due to his lack of emotion or interpersonal connections. She therefore tries to mediate between Naruto and Sai, explaining to Sai the brotherly bond that Naruto feels to Sasuke. When this fails to make an impression, Sakura gives up on Sai and puts up with him only because they need his help to find Sasuke.

Team 7 confronts Orochimaru and Kabuto.

Yamato disguises himself as Sasori and goes to the Tenchi Bridge to meet the spy while Naruto, Sakura, and Sai hide nearby. The spy, Kabuto Yakushi, begins telling Yamato about Orochimaru's organisation, but they are interrupted by the appearance of Orochimaru, who teams up with Kabuto to fight Yamato, having intended to kill Sasori. Team 7 comes to his aid and Orochimaru, recognising them, taunts Naruto about Sasuke. Naruto is enraged and strikes him, using the Nine-Tails' power to make his attacks more devastating. The Tenchi Bridge starts to collapse from the stress of his chakra and Sakura is knocked unconscious in the process. She is saved and revived by Yamato, and is then horrified by the damage that Naruto is causing to the surroundings.

Sakura healing Naruto.

Orochimaru is eventually able to force Naruto away from himself and closer to Sakura and Yamato. Seeing the lengths he's going to in order to retrieve Sasuke from Orochimaru, Sakura tries to reason with him, but his version 2 form leaves him unable to tell friend from foe and he attacks her. While Yamato restrains Naruto with his wood release, Kabuto heals Sakura's wound, his thanks to Team 7 for killing Sasori. Yamato is able to suppress the Nine-Tails' influence, but its chakra leaves his body badly damaged. Sakura heals him, but is upset that it's the only thing she can do to help him. When Naruto wakes up he can't remember what happened and assumes Sakura's tears are because of something Sai said, which she doesn't correct. When they realise that Sai is missing, Yamato reports that he has joined with Orochimaru and Kabuto.

Sakura attacks Sasuke.

Having placed a trace on Sai, Yamato is able to lead Naruto and Sakura to him and by extension Orochimaru's lair. They infiltrate it, locate Sai, and restrain him so that they can go looking for Sasuke. Kabuto finds them and releases Sai to help him fight them, but Sai restrains him instead, curious about the bond that Naruto keeps saying he has with Sasuke; Sai goes searching through Orochimaru's lair in search of Sasuke on Naruto's behalf. While he's gone, Yamato goes through his belongings and finds evidence that Sai has been assigned to assassinate Sasuke. They go after him in order to stop him. When they find him, he explains that he truly does want to help retrieve Sasuke, and in fact has already found him: Sakura and Naruto are speechless to see Sasuke again, but Sasuke reacts with indifference to them. To demonstrate that they mean nothing to him, Sasuke quickly neutralises them all, except Sakura who prepares to attack him. Sasuke is about to counter her attack before Yamato saves her. He then prepares to kill them, but is persuaded not to by Orochimaru and leaves without further comment. Defeated, a tearful Sakura tells a devastated Naruto they need to get stronger and Team 7 returns to Konoha.

Twelve Guardian Ninja

In the anime, Yamato leads Team 7 on a mission to the Fire Temple to investigate a series of grave robberies. During the course of the investigation, Team 7 is separated by an earthen maze. Sakura is attacked within the maze by a giant spider, but she's saved by Sai, whose arm breaks in the process. She tends his injury and they reunite with Naruto and Yamato, but the grave robbers escape. Team 7 returns to Konoha, and when the grave robbers attack the village, Sakura is drawn into battle with Fuen. Sakura pretends to fall victim to Fuen's genjutsu, allowing her to punch and defeat Fuen when she moves in to finish Sakura off.

Akatsuki Suppression Mission

Main article: Akatsuki Suppression Mission
Kakashi assembles Naruto, Sakura, and Sai to discuss their failed mission to retrieve Sasuke. Sakura shares her suspicion that Sasuke's skills have been boosted with medication, as his growth rate is unnaturally high. Kakashi believes the best way to prepare them for another encounter with Sasuke is for Naruto to invent a new jutsu. Once he finally does so after many days of training, Team 7 is sent to help Team 10 in their battle with Akatsuki. Sakura and Sai are sent to provide backup for Shikamaru Nara during his fight with Hidan while everyone else focuses on Kakuzu. When they locate Shikamaru, however, they discover that he's already defeated Hidan. Naruto elsewhere defeats Kakuzu with his jutsu, after which they go back to Konoha.

Naruto's new jutsu injures his arm after use, which Sakura treats in Konoha. Because he has difficulty using the arm while it mends, Sakura tries to help him eat when they visit Ramen Ichiraku, but Sai insists on the responsibility. As they leave afterwards, they are met by Konohamaru, who demonstrates his Sexy: Girl on Girl Technique; Naruto approves but Sakura is disgusted and violently reprimands him. In the manga, Konohamaru responds with Sexy: Boy on Boy Technique; Sakura approves but Naruto is disgusted and violently reprimands him. Sakura tries to make an excuse when she realises how she reacted, but Konohamaru's suspicions that Sakura is just as much a pervert as he is are confirmed.

Three-Tails' Appearance

Main article: Three-Tails' Appearance
In the anime, Team 7 is sent to help Team 8 in their fight with Team Guren. When they come across the Three-Tails during the course of the mission, Sakura is assigned to a team responsible for sealing it due to her excellent chakra control. They are interrupted by Team Guren before they can complete the Four-Corner Sealing Barrier, and Sakura tends to the wounded after the Three-Tails goes on a rampage. When Team Guren is defeated, they are recalled to Konoha.

Itachi Pursuit Mission

News reaches Konoha that Sasuke has killed Orochimaru. Realising that this is a good opportunity to try once again to reunite with Sasuke, Kakashi combines Teams 7 and 8 into an Eight Man Squad with the mission to find either Sasuke or his assumed target, Itachi. They split up to look for leads on either Uchiha; because she doesn't have any particular tracking skills, Kakashi pairs Sakura with two ninken, Shiba and Bisuke. They briefly pick up on the trail of one of Sasuke's new teammates, Karin, but they don't realise this and lose the trail shortly afterwards.

Fated Battle Between Brothers

Main article: Fated Battle Between Brothers
After they regroup, Kiba Inuzuka is able to detect Sasuke's scent and they start to follow it. Along the way they are met by Tobi of Akatsuki, who prevents them from progressing and who is invulnerable to their attacks. Tobi leaves when he receives news that Sasuke has killed Itachi, and Teams 7 and 8 try to reach Sasuke before he does. Unable to find where Tobi has taken Sasuke, they are forced to return to Konoha.

Six-Tails Unleashed

Main article: Six-Tails Unleashed
In the anime, they are intercepted by a new assignment to help the Tsuchigumo clan protect its forbidden technique. Kakashi takes Team 8 back to Konoha while Yamato leads Team 7 on the mission. During the mission, Sakura helps fight the Magaki group and the villagers who are under Shiranami's control. Once Shiranami is stopped, Team 7 returns to Konoha.

Pain's Assault

Sakura is present when Naruto is informed that Jiraiya died while investigating the leader of Akatsuki, Pain. She defends Tsunade when Naruto blames her for his death, and then again when Shikamaru tries to get out of helping decipher one of the clues that Jiraiya left behind, aware that Tsunade is grieving over Jiraiya. Sakura later tries to help Shikamaru decipher the clue, but is interrupted by the invasion of Pain. Sakura heads for the Konoha Hospital, along the way saving a group of civilians from Pain's giant centipede. She assists with healing the injured once she gets to the hospital, doing as much as she can despite there being more people in need of care than medics available.

When Pain destroys Konoha, Sakura and the rest of the villagers are saved by Tsunade with the help of Katsuyu. Tsunade is exhausted by the effort, so Sakura looks after her while Naruto fights Pain. During the battle, Sakura senses Naruto entering another version 2 form as a result of Pain's attack on Hinata Hyūga. She has Katsuyu relay a message to the villagers to retreat to a safe distance while she treats Hinata. Naruto ultimately defeats Pain and, when he returns to the village, Sakura punches him for taking such a risk and then embraces him as thanks.

Past Arc: The Locus of Konoha

Main article: Past Arc: The Locus of Konoha
Sakura and Shizune stay with Tsunade as the village starts to rebuild. In the anime, they give Tsunade's various visitors updates on her condition.

Five Kage Summit

Main article: Five Kage Summit
Sakura informs Naruto that Tsunade is in a coma and that there's nothing that can be done to bring her out of it. While they talk, they are approached by Tazuna and Inari, who have come to help rebuild Konoha. They ask about Sasuke, who which Naruto avoids going into detail about so as to spare them and Sakura a discussion about Sasuke's defection. After Tazuna and Inari leave, they receive news that Danzō Shimura has become the next Hokage and that he has ordered Sasuke be killed as a traitor. Naruto and Sakura approach Sai to ask him how they can convince Danzō to change his mind, but Sai is unable to help. Omoi and Karui of Kumogakure overhear them talking about Sasuke and they ask for information about Sasuke, wishing to kill him for his role in Akatsuki's capture of Killer B. This news upsets Sakura greatly to the point of tears, so Naruto leads Omoi and Karui away to spare her further distress. In the anime, while watching over a comatose Tsunade, Shizune confirms what she heard about Sasuke working with Akatsuki, which once again left Sakura on the verge of tears and hoping that Tsunade would awaken soon so the situation with Sasuke can be resolved.

Sakura painfully accepts that Sasuke must be stopped at all costs.

Sai later informs Sakura of the abuse Naruto suffered at the hands of Omoi and Karui, as he was unwilling to sell out Sasuke. He also informs her that Naruto has gone to meet with the Fourth Raikage to try and get a pardon for Sasuke's actions against Kumo. Sakura cannot understand why Naruto would do all this, so Sai explains how he believes that it is because he has feelings for Sakura and that he is still trying to fulfil the promise he made to her after Sasuke left the village years ago, which devastated her. Sai adds that his commitment to that promise and by extension Sakura cause Naruto as much pain as Sasuke does. Shikamaru joins their conversation to inform them of the rest of the Konoha 11's decision to personally eliminate Sasuke so that he can't continue to implicate Konoha in his crimes nor present the risk of a war. Sakura tearfully agrees with this and insists to be the one to inform Naruto. She also made the others swear to not say anything to Naruto before she can, seeing it as her responsibility, while secretly she decide to handle the entire matter herself.

Sakura's team arrives in the Land of Iron.

Sakura forms a team with Sai, Kiba Inuzuka, and Rock Lee and goes to the Land of Iron to search for Naruto. When they find him, Sakura tells him that she loves him and that, because of this, he no longer needs to fulfil his promise regarding Sasuke, who she says she no longer has feelings for. This upsets Naruto, who tells Sakura that he dislikes people who lie to themselves. Sakura then insists rather angrily that it's true and that he should start worrying about himself rather than Sasuke. Naruto still does not believe her and informs her that he wants to save Sasuke for his own reasons, not for Sakura. Upset, Sakura departs, but when they're far enough away she instructs her team to start looking for Sasuke. Her team tells her it would have been better to simply tell Naruto the truth about Konoha 11's decision and that she's underestimating him by not doing so, but Sakura adamantly says she couldn't do it.

Sasuke attacking Sakura from behind.

When Kiba finally locates Sasuke, Sakura has him give her precise directions to where he is. She then attempts to knock out the team with sleeping gas, but is initially stopped by Sai, who has guessed that she plans to personally kill Sasuke. When he attempts to detain them on Kakashi's instructions, Kiba and Lee engage Sai, giving Sakura a chance to use the sleeping gas. She proceeds to where Sasuke is and announces her desire to join with him, even if that means helping destroy Konoha. To prove her loyalty, Sasuke instructs Sakura to kill the badly-injured Karin. Sakura approaches them, contemplating how best to strike Sasuke, but is alerted by Karin that Sasuke is attacking her from behind with Chidori. Kakashi arrives in time to stop him and, aware of what Sakura was planning, volunteers to be the one to kill Sasuke so that she won't need to, especially when he holds himself responsible for not preventing the situation.

Team 7 re-unites.

Sakura heals Karin's injury and, in her unstable mental state, joins the battle. She starts attacking Sasuke from behind, but ultimately can't bring herself to harm him and cries at her own failure. Sensing her, Sasuke grabs her by the throat, takes her kunai, and prepares to kill her with it, but she is saved by Naruto. Sakura is shocked that she came close to being killed by Sasuke, and is further shocked as Sasuke confesses to killing Danzō and plans to do the same to his former teammates and the village. After briefly fighting, Naruto and Sasuke talk and conclude that only they are suitable to fight each other, which they will do at some future date; Sakura is upset once again that her resolve isn't as strong as theirs and she decides to trust Naruto and Sasuke in fulfilling her dream of Team 7 having a happy ending. After Sasuke leaves with Tobi, Naruto passes out from the poison of her kunai and a panicked Sakura gives him the antidote. Sakura then uses an antidote to wake Sai, Kiba, and Rock Lee up. After returning to the village, Naruto meets with the Konoha 11 as soon as they're back to tell them his decision, which Sakura defends when some of them accuse Naruto of being unrealistic, but is concerned about Naruto and Sasuke's promise to fight to the death.

When Tsunade finally wakes from her coma, Sakura goes around the village sharing the good news. In the anime, Sakura is later informed of the upcoming war against Akatsuki from Tsunade, and Sakura, while uneasy at fighting against Sasuke, is given the task to keep a watchful on eye on Naruto during the war.

Power

Main article: Power
In the anime, Team 7 is sent to investigate the attack on Tonika Village. They encounter Kabuto Yakushi and are forced to fight his reincarnated forces while he escapes. They fight Kabuto and his forces several more times, during one of which Sakura is knocked out by the Nine-Tailed Naruto Clone, but Kabuto is ultimately driven off.

Fourth Shinobi World War: Confrontation

When the Fourth Shinobi World War begins, Sakura is added to the Third Division of the Allied Shinobi Forces. Before the armies mobilise for war with Akatsuki, Sakura heals Might Guy, whose exhaustion mystifies her. The Third Division is called to assist the Surprise Attack Division, and when they arrive Sakura recognises the reincarnated Haku and Zabuza Momochi amongst the Surprise Attack Division's attackers. When Zabuza asks her how Naruto is doing, Sakura replies that he's well. Zabuza and Haku are forced to attack the Third Division, so they take up defensive positions; having encountered them before, Sakura advises those near her to take a Manji Formation. When casualties start growing, Sakura heals the wounded.

Sakura defeats "Neji".

Sakura is eventually reassigned to the Logistical Support and Medical Division's compound to heal the wounded that are sent there. During the night, three medical-nin are killed despite the major precautions they took to secure the location, placing everyone on high alert. Sakura is approached by Morio during this time, who she recognises as someone she healed earlier; he gives her a love letter, but she turns him down and explains she is in love with someone else. He wishes her luck with her beloved when he leaves but Sakura is saddened as she thinks about Sasuke. Neji Hyūga visits her after Morio leaves to discuss the suspected killer. When, during the conversation, Neji proves unaware that Tonton is a pig, Sakura realises he is an impostor and attacks him. The disguise disappears, revealing a White Zetsu. From the Zetsu's comments and previous reports she's read about its abilities, Sakura is able to determine how its Substitute Technique works and alerts the Allied HQ. She and Shizune later perform an autopsy on the Zetsu's body and discover its Wood Release capabilities.

In the anime, during the following day, the Medical Division is attacked by several reincarnated shinobi and a scroll of dead Allied forces is stolen. Sakura joins a team to go after them and most of the reincarnated shinobi are sealed, but Hayate Gekkō escapes with the scroll. She goes after him and fights him until Yūgao Uzuki arrives to finish him off. Later, security at the Medical Division remains high, with nobody having an effective way of identifying disguised Zetsu. Two Zetsu eventually bypass bodyguards assigned to Sakura, though she is saved by the arrival of Naruto, whose Nine-Tails Chakra Mode allows him to find and eliminate all the Zetsu.

Fourth Shinobi World War: Climax

With the Zetsu army defeated, the Allied Shinobi Forces are sent to assist Naruto in his fight with Tobi. Along the way, Sakura vows to be there to help Naruto. When they arrive, Sakura heals Kakashi and Might Guy and then joins in the Allies' attack on the Ten-Tails. The attack fails and many die in the Ten-Tails' counterattack, including Neji, which shocks and saddens Sakura. However, Naruto is able to give protective version 1-like cloaks to most of the allies in time. When Naruto is injured saving everyone from Tenpenchii, Sakura heals him and encourages the other Allies not to give up hope, even in the face of the Ten-Tails' Tailed Beast Ball. They are saved by the arrival of the reincarnated Fourth Hokage. The Fourth thanks Sakura for healing Naruto, his son, and asks if she is Naruto's girlfriend. When Naruto suggests this is true, Sakura headbutts him and tells him to focus on the situation. Naruto complains she gave him more injuries and she retorts she will heal him again.

Team 7 together again.

Sasuke arrives shortly after the Fourth, intent on joining the Allies so that he can protect Konoha. Sakura is shocked by Sasuke's sudden arrival and asks him of his intentions, and is dumbfounded, as with the rest of the Konoha 11, by his declaration he will be Hokage. Naruto and Sasuke prepare to fight the Ten-Tails and Sakura, as she says she is not weak and will assist them as a member of Team 7, joins them. The now reunited Team 7 charges into battle with the Ten-Tails' army of clones; after charging her Strength of a Hundred Seal, Sakura is able to defeat many at a time and boasts that she has finally caught up with her teammates. Because there are too many Ten-Tails' clones, Team 7 each performs their own summonings: Sakura summons Katsuyu and has it adhere to all the Allies nearby so that she can heal them remotely. While Naruto and Sasuke fight the Ten-Tails itself, Sai asks Sakura if she trusts Sasuke. Sakura says she is happy he's back and she does trust him. Sai believes her words are truthful, but knows her smile is a fake.

Birth of the Ten-Tails' Jinchūriki

When Tobi, real name Obito Uchiha, becomes the Ten-Tails' jinchūriki, Sakura can only watch from a distance as Naruto, Sasuke, and the reincarnated Hokage fight him. Obito eventually recreates the God Tree, which absorbs the chakra of many of the Allied Shinobi Forces. Sakura instructs Katsuyu to heal them, but Katsuyu explains that its divisions suffered the same fate as the shinobi they were attached to. To do what she can, Sakura runs over to Shikamaru and starts trying to heal him. It is ultimately Naruto who saves Shikamaru and the others, remotely restoring the Version 1 cloaks thought absorbed by the God Tree. Tsunade then arrives, congratulates Sakura for the work she's done, and requests her help in summoning an even large segment of Katsuyu. Katsuyu dissolves across the battlefield, allowing Tsunade and Sakura to constantly rejuvenate everybody as they unite against Obito.

Sakura attempts to heal Naruto.

Although Obito is defeated, Madara Uchiha and another Zetsu still remain. The prolonged fighting exhausts Tsunade and leaves Sakura and Shizune with little chakra to spare. When Gaara brings Naruto to them, in need of emergency life support following the removal of the Nine-Tails from his body, Sakura boards his Desert Suspension to lend what support she can. When her normal medical ninjutsu fails to do anything, Sakura makes an incision in Naruto's chest and manually pumps his heart to keep him alive while pleading for him to live because he is close to achieving his dream. Gaara brings them to the Fourth Hokage so that he can seal his half of the Nine-Tails' chakra into Naruto, but the chakra is intercepted by Black Zetsu. When Madara — the Ten-Tails' new jinchūriki — arrives, Kakashi uses Kamui on Sakura and Naruto to get them to safety in Kamui's dimension. They are shortly afterwards joined by Obito, who has decided he wants to help Naruto. Though wary of Obito, Sakura allows him to seal the Nine-Tails' chakra he took from Black Zetsu into Naruto, thus saving his life.

Team 7 attacks Madara.

Naruto goes back to fight Madara when he regains consciousness, leaving Obito with Sakura. She calls Obito an enemy for killing many of her comrades but she is willing to help him as thanks for saving Naruto. Obito asks Sakura to destroy his Rinnegan, explaining it's the only way to guarantee Madara can't use the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Before she's able to do so, Madara arrives in Kamui's dimension and Obito sends Sakura away so that Madara can't kill her. She explains what happened when she regroups with Team 7 and tries healing Kakashi after Madara stole his eye, but Naruto instead gives him a new one. As they wait for Madara's inevitable return, Sakura questions Sasuke what he meant when he said he would be Hokage, but receives no answer because they have a war to worry about. Sensing Madara coming, Kakashi reminds them of their first lesson as Team 7: the importance of teamwork. When Madara is brought back by Black Zetsu using Obito's body, Sakura launches the first attack. She is stabbed with a Truth-Seeking Ball and is saved by Naruto (who grabs her) and Sasuke (who cuts the rod Madara stabbed her with). Sakura is saddened because she thinks Sasuke is not concerned about her. Madara, now in possession of two Rinnegan, ascends into the sky and, despite Naruto and Sasuke's attempt to stop him, casts the Infinite Tsukuyomi.

Kaguya Ōtsutsuki Strikes

Main article: Kaguya Ōtsutsuki Strikes
While the world around them falls to the Infinite Tsukuyomi, Sasuke uses his Susanoo to shield Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi from its effects. Sakura asks what is happening but is saddened when Sasuke tells her she doesn't need to know because she can't do anything about it. When they emerge, they find Madara has bound the world's population with God: Nativity of a World of Trees and trapped them all within perpetual dreams. Madara confronts them and insists that he has ended all conflicts and that only Team 7, as the only remaining opposition, would seek to renew the cycle of death that plagued the world for centuries. As he's talking, Madara is stabbed from behind by Black Zetsu, who transfers to him from Obito's body to convert him into Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, Black Zetsu's true master.

Kakashi saves Sakura.

Kaguya, the origin of chakra, now has access to the chakra supplies of everyone trapped in the Infinite Tsukuyomi. She wants Team 7's chakra as well, so she transports them to one of Kaguya's Dimensions: a sea of lava. Kakashi grabs Sakura, ties himself to an unconscious Obito with a scroll, and pins Obito to a wall in order to save them. Sakura is sad as Sasuke explains to Naruto that he only saved Sakura and Kakashi earlier because they happened to be near Naruto and he is willing to sacrifice his comrades if it means ensuring he and Naruto will survive to save the world. However Naruto retorts Sasuke still saved them subconsciously, and Sakura is thankful for Naruto for this. The heat causes the scroll to burn up, but Naruto sends a shadow clone to catch them. Because only Naruto and Sasuke can defeat Kaguya, they are forced to watch from a distance; Sakura is mortified when Naruto uses the Sexy Reverse Harem Technique on Kaguya, and then mortified again when it works. Kaguya eventually relocates them to another dimension and then banishes Sasuke to another, separating him from Naruto.

Sakura and Obito search for Sasuke.

When Obito regains conciseness and is caught up about what's been happening, he offers to help retrieve Sasuke and requests Sakura's help. Naruto attacks Kaguya with hundreds of shadow clones to force her to retreat to her central dimension; Obito and Sakura secretly follow. When Kaguya goes back to fight Naruto, Obito begins piercing through her various dimensions with Kamui while Sakura heals the stress this causes to his body. They do finally locate Sasuke, but Obito is unable to keep the portal open long enough for Sasuke to run to it. When she thinks she failed, Sakura is exhausted and collapses but is caught by Sasuke, who explains he used Amenotejikara to switch places with Sakura's flak jacket and thanks her and Obito. Obito teleports them back to the dimension where Naruto is and sacrifices himself to save Naruto from Kaguya.

Team 7 defeats Kaguya.

Despite his death, Obito's spirit is able to briefly return to allow Kakashi to use Susanoo, which he uses to save Sakura from one of Kaguya's attacks. When Kaguya creates an Expansive Truth-Seeking Ball to finally kill them all, Kakashi, realising that this is their last opportunity, forms a plan of attack: Kakashi pierces through her; Naruto uses shadow clones to exhaust some of her countermeasures and Kakashi uses Kamui on the rest; Sasuke moves closer to her in order to place a seal on her; Sakura punches her when she tries to escape. Kaguya is defeated, the tailed beasts are removed from her body, and she is trapped alongside Black Zetsu with Six Paths — Chibaku Tensei. As Sakura and Naruto panic over how they are going to get back home, the Sage of the Six Paths summons them all back from Kaguya's dimensions and congratulates them for their victory.

Sakura caught in Sasuke's genjutsu.

The Sage of Six Paths explains how Naruto and Sasuke can end the Infinite Tsukuyomi, but Sasuke has plans before that: starting a revolution by killing the tailed beasts and Five Kage, which he believes will change the world for the better. Sad and angry, Sakura pleads with him, acknowledging that there's literally nothing that she can do to change his mind, but asks if there's some part of him that cares about her and is willing to return to her. He once again tells her that she is still annoying before knocking her out with a genjutsu. Kakashi scolds Sasuke for this by saying Sakura never stopped trying to save him and loving him is only breaking her heart. When she finally wakes up later that night, Kakashi tells her that Naruto and Sasuke have gone to have their last fight. They locate Naruto and Sasuke the following day at the Valley of the End, both having lost an arm and unable to move. As she heals them, Sasuke tries to speak to her but she tells him not to so she can concentrate on healing them. Guilt-ridden, Sasuke apologises to Sakura for everything he's done and, after exclaiming him with criticism, she tearfully accepts his apology and Team 7 comes together for good, smiling and laughing.

Blank Period

Sasuke pokes Sakura's forehead.

After the war, Sasuke is pardoned for his crimes based on the good word of Naruto and Kakashi (who has been selected to become the Sixth Hokage). Sasuke leaves Konoha to wander the world on a journey of redemption and Sakura asks him to wait until his prosthesis arm is finished, but Sasuke declines. Sakura then offers to come with him. He again declines, explaining that his journey is one of atonement and that she has no part in that, leaving Sakura disappointed and gloomy. He then pokes her head, promising to see her again and thanks her, and Sakura blushes at the realisation that he is returning her feelings.

Shikamaru Hiden: A Cloud Drifting in Silent Darkness

Main article: Shikamaru Hiden: A Cloud Drifting in Silent Darkness
Two years after the end of the war, Naruto talks to Sakura about Shikamaru Nara's recent cold behavior. She reminds him that Shikamaru is working hard in preparation for Naruto someday becoming Hokage, causing Naruto to wonder if he's worth whatever trouble Shikamaru is going through. When Shikamaru later goes missing in the Land of Silence, Naruto and Sakura join a combined Konoha and Suna coalition sent to rescue him. By the time they arrive, Temari is in combat with a brainwashed Sai; Sakura punches Sai away from Temari and then heals Temari's injury. After Shikamaru is saved and his mission is completed, Sakura is part of a force that stays behind to help the Land of Silence stabilise.

The Last: Naruto the Movie

Two years after the end of the war, Sakura notices Hinata Hyūga working on a scarf to give Naruto for the Rinne Festival. Sakura encourages her, but warns her that Naruto may not have a real grasp of the love Hinata has for him. To that end, Sakura orchestrates some opportunities for Hinata and Naruto to spend time together, but due to Naruto's lack of understanding about love, none of them work. Shortly afterwards, Hinata's sister, Hanabi Hyūga, is kidnapped by Toneri Ōtsutsuki and they are assigned to a team sent to rescue her. They follow Toneri's trail to a cave and, when they enter it, they are trapped in a genjutsu. In the movie's novelisation, Sakura quickly identifies her dreams of Sasuke as just that, forces herself awake, and wakes up the rest of the team. At the end of the cave they find the Gatekeeper, the creator of the genjutsu, which Sakura, Shikamaru, and Sai join forces to destroy.

When they exit the cave, they find themselves in the middle of a vast landscape, what they later learn is the interior of the Moon. While resting after a day of exploring the nearby ruins, Hinata voluntarily joins with Toneri and Naruto is badly injured by Toneri while trying to stop her. Sakura spends three days of around-the-clock care to heal him, during which time Naruto talks in his sleep indicates to Sakura that he now shares Hinata's feelings. When he wakes up, Naruto visits Sakura as she recovers from her exhaustion, thanks her, and expresses his fears that Hinata fell in love with Toneri. Sakura reassures him that Hinata's feelings for him are too strong to change so suddenly and that she must have had some reason for going with Toneri. She further says she believes Naruto's crush on her was due to his desire to defeat Sasuke, whom she loves. When Sakura's ready, they storm Toneri's castle; Sai and Sakura go looking for Hanabi while Naruto and Shikamaru go looking for Hinata. While rescuing Hanabi, Sakura finds the tattered remains of the scarf Hinata made for Naruto, which she gives to him when they regroup. Toneri is defeated, Naruto and Hinata express their feelings for each other, and the team returns to Konoha.

Sakura Hiden: Thoughts of Love, Riding Upon a Spring Breeze

Main article: Sakura Hiden: Thoughts of Love, Riding Upon a Spring Breeze
When the Fourth Shinobi World War ended, Sakura assisted with healing those injured and displaced by the conflict. Although the adults recovered quickly and were put at peace by the end of hostilities, children struggled to recover from the stress of the War and the deaths of those they knew. In order to help them deal with this, Sakura and Ino Yamanaka opened a clinic within the Konoha Hospital that would assess and treat children's mental health. The program proves very successful, in part because Sakura works tirelessly to make it so, a dedication that worries her friends. Two years after the war ends, Sakura and Ino travel to Sunagakure to help the village lay the groundwork for its own mental health clinic; along the way, Ino tells her about the romantic relationships that their peers — Ino included — are getting involved in, causing Sakura to wonder about her long-distant relationship with Sasuke.

In Suna, Sakura and Ino are called before Gaara, who informs them of a man matching Sasuke's appearance and chakra signature that is evidently planning to destroy Konoha. They insist it has to be someone disguised as Sasuke, but can come up with no practical explanations for the man having Sasuke's chakra signature. Hoping to keep Sasuke's apparent plans a secret, Gaara asks Sakura to personally inform Kakashi of the plot against Konoha. Sakura and Ino do so as soon as they return to Konoha, and Kakashi shares their belief that it is an impostor. When, several days later, rumours of this impostor's actions start to spread, Kakashi sends a message Sasuke to ask if he knows anything about it, though Sasuke doesn't reply. Sakura becomes concerned about this and confides in Naruto, who hypothesises that Sasuke finds the rumours too ludicrous to give them any attention.

Naruto's words put Sakura at ease. She meets with Tsunade to discuss possible ways of mimicking another person's chakra signature, and comes up with a theory of somebody extracting Sasuke's chakra from his skin and hair samples that have been gathered in large amounts. Sakura runs into Sai afterwards and she tells him her theory, which, based on information he came across during his own unrelated investigation into Kido Tsumiki, he believes to be true. Because they are all evidently working on the same case, Kakashi makes them a team; Ino dubs themselves "Ino–Saku–Sai". While returning from interviews regarding Kido and his personal Anbu, Sakura comes across what is apparently Sasuke being arrested. She realises after she approaches that it's a genjutsu, but is injected with a drug that renders her unconscious before she can get away.

Sakura wakes up to find herself bound and imprisoned. She tries to break out, but the drug she was injected with hinders her strength and chakra. Kido comes to visit her soon afterwards, explaining that he wants to draw Sasuke out with news of her kidnapping due to their romantic relationship. Once he's captured Sasuke, he'll kill Sakura to strengthen Sasuke's Sharingan, in turn making Kido's planned synthetic Sharingan more effective. Sakura keeps Kido engaged in the conversation while she gathers enough chakra to break free; having finally seen the Sasuke impostor, she tells Kido its many minor flaws that make it inferior to the original. When she's ready, Sakura breaks out of the basement, through the floors above, and finally the roof with a single Cherry Blossom Impact. Outside, she meets Sai and Ino and teams up with them against Kido and his men. Sakura is drawn into a fight with the Sasuke impostor, who chokes her using his one of Kido's synthetic tailed beast cloaks. Sakura breaks free and, as she beats him unconscious, warns him to never impersonate Sasuke again.

She regroups with her teammates and decide to find the rest of Kido's henchmen, but find them defeated by fire and genjutsu, and they realise this is Sasuke's doing and he had just disappeared. Although saddened, he didn't at least say hello, Sakura is happy that Sasuke does care about her enough to rush back to the village to save her. After turning Kido over to Ibiki for interrogation, Sakura resumes her duties and decides to wait for Sasuke's return, which she believes is imminent, so she can talk to him. The final page implies that Sasuke returned to the village to be with Sakura, as he says "I'm home, Sakura."

Konoha Hiden: The Perfect Day for a Wedding

Main article: Konoha Hiden: The Perfect Day for a Wedding
While looking for a present to give to Naruto and Hinata for their wedding, Sakura finds a picture frame that she thinks would be perfect. Ino finds the exact same picture frame at the exact same moment, and their fight over who will buy it causes both of them to be expelled from the store, neither of them able to purchase the picture frame. Ino blames Sakura for what's happened, insisting Sakura's unnatural strength and large forehead make her uncouth and, more particularly, unlikely to ever be married. Sakura is deeply insulted by the accusation and challenges Ino to a cooking competition to prove that she would make a good wife.

Sakura congratulating Naruto and Hinata

Sakura and Ino make their own soldier pills; Sakura puts pudding, Ino's favourite dessert, into hers so that Ino will have no choice but to approve of her recipe. When she meets Ino the next day, however, she finds that Ino wants to use Chōji Akimichi as an impartial judge. Chōji samples each of their soldier pills and finds them so delicious that he starts putting them into his mouth by the handful. He soon collapses to the ground with blood running from his nose. Both suspect that the other poisoned their soldier pills, so sample them in order to identify the poison and thus save Chōji. Neither can taste poison, but they do taste their favourite desserts: Ino loves the pudding in Sakura's and Sakura loves the anmitsu in Ino's. Chōji gets up soon afterwards, having finally recovered from his blood sugar overload, and he praises both of their soldier pills. Sakura and Ino reflect on their like-mindedness and how their competitions always push each other to be better. They, therefore, decide to go shopping together, helping each other find a gift even better than a picture frame. Sakura later attends Naruto and Hinata's wedding by herself, but thinks about Sasuke travelling somewhere.

Sasuke Shinden: Book of Sunrise

Main article: Sasuke Shinden: Book of Sunrise
Sakura is summoned into Kakashi's office, along with Naruto and Sai, on the disappearances of Kumo and Kiri shinobi. Sakura informs Kakashi that she had been doing some research of her own and she discovered several Konoha shinobi have disappeared, including a family friend of Ino's. When Kakashi tells them that Sasuke is investigating the disappearances, Sakura reacts with anxiety at the mention of his name due to her being frustrated towards their long distant relationship.

Konoha is attacked and Sakura and the others discover the attackers are the missing shinobi, who are under a genjutsu. The ringleader of the assault is Ino's family friend, Taidachi. Sakura helps Naruto, Sai, Hinata, Shikamaru, Ino, and Chōji deduce that the shinobi will explode upon being injured, so they come up with a new strategy; Shikamaru uses his Shadow Imitation Technique and Hinata uses her Gentle Fist to render them motionless. Ino tries to use her Mind Body Switch Technique on Taidaichi, but falls under a genjutsu trap; Aoba saves her, but both pass out. Sakura heals them, as well as the rest of those injured in the attack.

When Sakura learns Sasuke captured the ones responsible for the events and helped change their ways to repent, Sakura, although being tired of waiting for Sasuke to come home, is proud of Sasuke for how much he has accomplished to redeem himself.

Sakura is mentioned in a letter written by Naruto and given to Sasuke while he is on his journey. In it, Sakura compares his current duties of protecting the village from the shadows to that of his childhood dream of joining the Konoha Military Police Force. It is Sakura's words in the letter that compels Sasuke to decide to return to Konoha and be with her. The end of the novel strongly implies that they reunited some time afterwards, as Sakura says "Welcome home, Sasuke."

New Era

Four years after the war, Sakura now pregnant accompanies her husband Sasuke on his travelling, as she refused to leave his side. When she went into labour, Sasuke brought her to one of Orochimaru's hideouts and had Karin help with the delivery. Sakura gives birth to their daughter, Sarada and returns to Konoha with her family. Afterwards, Sakura and Sasuke raised their daughter together for some time, but he left the village for a top secret mission early in her childhood, leaving her with few memories of him.[62] Years later at the time Naruto became Hokage, Sakura watched his inauguration with her daughter. Later, Sakura attended a Five Kage Summit with her husband, who informed the Kage about uncovering evidence of Kaguya forming a new White Zetsu Army in order to face some greater threat. Agreeing to keep this information secret and wanting to safeguard the future of their daughter and the new generation, Sasuke continues his wanderings as he tries to find more information, using his Rinnegan to inspect other dimensions.

Academy Arc

Sakura comforting Sarada.

During Sarada's Academy career, her daughter would ask about her father and Sakura assured Sarada that Sasuke loves her and that, when he completes his important mission, he'll come home; when these conversations go on for too long, Sakura pokes Sarada's forehead and promises to continue them some other time, which is Sasuke's usual sign of affection.

In the anime, as the village began getting constant attacks from an unknown culprit, Sakura treated a Konoha Purification Plant worker who had his chakra drained in the Konoha hospital.[63] When the culprit behind the attacks was revealed to be Sumire Kakei, a unit was deployed to apprehend her. The rogue student unleashed Nue onto the village. While Kakashi organised the unit to defend from its attack, Sakura worked with a unit to treat the injured.[64]

Several weeks later, Sakura is about to go trip with Ino but as Sakura begins to leave, she realises that a patient's teddy bear, which she had brought home so that she could sew it, has not been picked up yet. Sakura had promised to return the bear that day but Sarada promises that she would do it for her. Later, Sakura and Ino go to seaside cliff, where Sakura and Sasuke went on their first date. Ino asks Sakura if Sasuke had contacted her. Sakura says no, wondering what Sasuke is doing at the moment. Later that night, Sakura arrives home and asks Sarada if she returned the teddy bear, Sarada commenting it being easy. Sarada asked Sakura how her trip went, Sakura commenting it being wonderful.[65]

Sarada Uchiha Arc

Main article: Naruto Gaiden: The Seventh Hokage and the Scarlet Spring
Fifteen years after the war, as her graduation from the Academy approaches, Sarada starts asking Sakura about Sasuke with greater earnest. Sakura struggles to answer questions about Sasuke's childhood in order to hide his past from Sarada, leading Sarada to question if Sasuke and Sakura are even married. This upsets Sakura and she punches the ground, which then inadvertently destroys their house. Sakura faints at the realisation of what she's done.

Sakura attacks Shin.

She later wakes up to find herself in the care of Shizune, who informs her that Sarada has left the village to look for Sasuke and also tells her about Sarada's doubts on her parentage. After chuckling at her daughter's recklessness, Sakura goes after her. Sakura arrives in time to save Sasuke and Sarada from Shin Uchiha, rupturing his organs. Sakura starts apologising to Sarada for not being more open with her, but Sasuke insists that he's to blame. They are cut off by the appearance of one of Shin's creatures, which teleports him, one of his injured "sons", and Sakura to his hideout. Shin asks her to transplant organs from the son into him, which she refuses both because he's an enemy and because his son is only a child. Shin performs the operation himself, explaining to Sakura while he does so that his sons are really his clones, and thus deserve no special consideration. Sakura is disgusted by Shin's philosophy on genetics and offspring, declaring he has no idea what it's like to be a real parent.

Sakura's family portrait.

When Shin completes his surgery, Sakura, having revealed she was pretending to be a helpless hostage to get information on Shin for Sasuke, begins attacking him, though she is overwhelmed and stabbed by scalpels. Sasuke and the others arrive to help shortly after the fight starts and Sasuke removes some of the scalpels that Shin stabbed Sakura with. Happy to see her husband, Sakura thanks Sasuke. Shin's clones, meanwhile, kill Shin because of how he's mistreated them. The clones then attack them and Sakura stands in front of Sarada to protect her, but Sarada jumps into the fight and uses her Sharingan and chakra enhanced strength to defeat most of the clones, shocking Sakura. With the fighting done, Sakura hugs Sarada and expresses relief that Sarada is alright. Sakura then confirms that she is her biological mother while Sarada apologises for doubting her. Sasuke then tells Sarada that his heart is connected to Sakura's, Sarada's sole existence being enough proof of their bond. Sasuke accompanies them back to Konoha and spends some time with Sarada and Sakura, even posing for a family photo that their home has been missing. Sakura and Sarada see him off as he leaves Konoha again; when Sarada becomes sad, Sasuke hugs her and pokes her forehead, promising to return as Sakura looks on with a smile. Sakura gives him a prepared lunch and hopes for a kiss in return, but he departs without further comment while smirking, depressing Sakura as she waves goodbye.

Versus Momoshiki Arc

Several months later, when Sarada leaves to train for the upcoming Chūnin Exams, Sakura sees her off. Before she goes, Sarada notes that Sakura must be happy since Sasuke has come back to Konoha, to which Sakura replies that Sarada must be the happiest. Later, during the exams' final matches, Sakura watches with Temari and Ino, cheering loudly when Sarada wins her first match. The finals are interrupted by an attack from Kinshiki and Momoshiki Ōtsutsuki, who proceed to destroy the stadium; Sakura punches the air above her, creating a shockwave strong enough to destroy the falling debris to protect herself and the other spectators. After Kinshiki and Momoshiki kidnap Naruto, Sakura heals Hinata, who was badly injured in her failed attempt to save him. When Boruto prepares to join Sasuke in rescuing Naruto, Sakura carries Hinata to him so that she can reason with him. However, seeing Boruto reminds Hinata, like Sakura, of a younger Naruto, so she allows him to go.

Naruto is successfully rescued and life returns to normal when he gets back to Konoha. As Sarada her team leave for a mission, Sakura watches them with Sasuke.

Naruto the Movie: Legend of the Stone of Gelel

Main article: Naruto the Movie: Legend of the Stone of Gelel
Naruto, Sakura, and Shikamaru Nara are sent to deliver Nerugui to its rightful owners. When they arrive at the village where Nerugui's owners live, they are attacked by Temujin's warriors, who wield the power of the Stone of Gelel. Sakura is eventually forced to fight the wolf-like Fugai; she uses metal pillars to reflect Fugai's ear-splitting howl, thus causing the pillars to collapse on her and kill her.

Naruto the Movie: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom

Main article: Naruto the Movie: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom
Naruto, Sakura, and Rock Lee are assigned to protect the Land of the Moon's prince during his world trip. During the mission, she's makes several uses of the medical ninjutsu and increased physical strength she gained from training with Tsunade, the latter particularly in her fights with Karenbana. Sakura struggles against Karenbana during their first encounter because of Karenbana's ability to turn invisible. During their second meeting, Sakura notices how much perfume Karenbana wears, helping her to defend herself. Later in the fight she breaks a chandelier, scattering glass across the floor that allows her to find Karenbana and knock her out.

Naruto Shippūden the Movie: Bonds

Main article: Naruto Shippūden the Movie: Bonds
During the Land of the Sky's attack on Konoha, Sakura heals the injured who are brought to the hospital. Afterwards, Naruto, Sakura, and Hinata Hyūga are assigned to escort Amaru and Shinnō back to their village. During their journey, Amaru's body is possessed by the Zero-Tails; despite trying to fight it, Sakura is defeated. Naruto leaves Sakura behind as he goes after Amaru.

Naruto Shippūden the Movie: The Will of Fire

Main article: Naruto Shippūden the Movie: The Will of Fire
Sakura is part of a team sent to investigate the most recent in a series of kidnappings of people with kekkei genkai. During the investigation, Naruto and Sai are injured by strange animals. Sakura heals them and, when they get back to Konoha, forces them to spend some time in the hospital. Hiruko later declares war on the ninja villages and Sakura is assigned to secure Konoha's borders. When she learns that Kakashi has defected and that Naruto has been imprisoned to stop him from going after Kakashi, she helps him escape and accompanies him. When they, with help from Shikamaru and Sai, find Kakashi — who is under Hiruko's control — they fight Hiruko's chimeric animals, save Kakashi, and ultimately Hiruko is defeated.

Naruto Shippūden the Movie: The Lost Tower

Main article: Naruto Shippūden the Movie: The Lost Tower
Team 7 goes to the ruins of Rōran to capture Mukade. While fighting Mukade, Naruto and Yamato vanish, only to reappear immediately afterwards with no memory of what they've just been through. When they leave Rōran they are approached by a girl, whose mother met Naruto when he was sent to the past. Though he's unaware of this, Naruto claims he saw the girl in a good dream he had, causing Sakura to pull his ear and call him a pervert.

Naruto the Movie: Blood Prison

Main article: Naruto the Movie: Blood Prison
When Naruto is accused of trying to assassinate the Fourth Raikage, Sakura is surprised and is the only member of Team 7 to try and argue for his innocence. Despite this, he is imprisoned in the Blood Prison. Sakura is later part of a force sent to the Blood Prison to rescue Naruto, and while there helps capture escaping prisoners. Naruto is badly injured during the ordeal and Sakura is unable to heal him, forcing Ryūzetsu to save him instead with her Dragon Life Reincarnation; Sakura then tries and fails to revive Ryūzetsu. When they get back to Konoha, Sakura asks Naruto if her earlier surprise was convincing, as the entire thing was staged.

Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie

Main article: Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie
Sakura and the rest of the Konoha 11 successfully defend Konoha from an Akatsuki attack. When they return to the village, Sakura's parents, Mebuki and Kizashi Haruno, embarrass her with their concern for her safety. She meets with Naruto later to complain about her parents' protectiveness. As they talk, they are attacked by Tobi, who uses the Limited Tsukuyomi to send them to a Genjutsu World where their dreams come true: Naruto has his parents and Sakura doesn't have hers. She enjoys it for a while — especially because her parents died saving the village and thus Sakura gets special treatment from the villagers — but she eventually starts to experience the loneliness of not having parents that Naruto has known for his entire life. Sakura is eventually kidnapped by Menma on Tobi's instructions and the Genjutsu World's Akatsuki is hired to rescue her. Sakura then saves Naruto from Menma who in turn saves her from Tobi, thus breaking the Limited Tsukuyomi. Back home again, Sakura rushes to her parents and hugs them, glad to be back.

In many video games set during Part I, Inner Sakura is featured prominently in Sakura's movesets due to Sakura's lack of a defining fighting style; games vary between using Inner Sakura as a genjutsu or as an actual physical embodiment. Sakura is also one of several Naruto characters to appear in the story mode of J-Stars Victory VS.

Creation and Conception

Although Sakura is the most recurring female character in Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto did not originally intend for Sakura to be the heroine of the series. Kishimoto attributes this to his being unable to draw good heroine characters, and fashioned Sakura as a girl who cannot understand men, the best example of a heroine he could come up with. Sakura's creation is a result of Kishimoto's desire to make a somewhat irritating character who was well-intentioned.[66] Despite these elements, Kishimoto is fond of Sakura, as he feels that many of her personality traits are common among all people, thus giving her a sense of real humanity.[67] When asked in an interview if there is something about Sakura's background that was never revealed, Kishimoto explains that he has never thought of Sakura as she is a "normal girl."[68]

Kishimoto's early design sketches of Sakura.

When designing Sakura, Kishimoto focused on her silhouette and created a costume as simple as possible. This is a divergence from the other main characters of the series, whose costumes are very detailed. The leggings are the most notable aspect of her design, as they are meant to show that she is very active.[66] At the start of the series her leggings extended below her knees and closely resembled trousers. As Part I progressed, the leggings became increasingly shorter and tighter.[69] Similar to his inexperience with drawing heroines, Kishimoto lacked the experience needed to make Sakura "cute" when he first began drawing her. Although he implies that her appearance has become cuter since then, Kishimoto and much of the Naruto manga staff agree that Sakura was "far from cute" at the start of the series.[66][70]

Sakura's most well-known physical characteristic is her broad forehead. Because of this, Kishimoto at times focuses too much effort on drawing it in scenes or promotional artwork where Sakura is featured prominently. This results in her forehead appearing too large.[70] When designing Sakura in her Part II appearance, Kishimoto decided to change her clothes to a more lively karate suit style. The upper part, though, still has a Chinaesque feeling to it, so as to make her more feminine.[71]

Kishimoto's staff have said that Sakura's pink hair was originally intended to give her a unique style and to resemble cherry blossoms, after which she is named.[citation needed]

Trivia

The name "Sakura" literally means "cherry blossom" (桜), a flower which is cherished in Japan due to its beauty and its almost-tragically short life span (cherry blossoms have historically been associated with the samurai). It also serves as the national flower for the nation of Japan. Her family name "Haruno" means "spring field" (春野). In Japanese, her full name can be interpreted as "spring field of cherry blossoms" (春野桜, haruno sakura) or "cherry blossoms in spring" (春の桜, haru no sakura). Sakura's name can also be a reference to a suit of cards used in the Hanafuda card game.

Sakura's favourite phrase according to the first databook is "A life with love throughout!" (一生愛の人生よ!, Isshōai no jinsei yo!), and her favourite word according to the second and third databooks is "courage" (勇気, yūki).

Her attributes are: 100 in strength, 155 in negotiation, 173 in chakra, 174 in intelligence, 133 in perception, and 140 in dexterity.

She has four stars in drug resistance, five stars in unarmed hand-to-hand fighting and medical ninjutsu.

In the June 2006 issue of the English Shōnen Jump, Kishimoto stated that Sakura would be the best ninja instructor out of Team 7 and is the closest to being normal, despite having flaws in her personality.

During a 2010 interview, Kishimoto stated that many who work with him have told him Hinata would have made a better heroine than Sakura. Kishimoto said that despite not initially being portrayed like one, he would be showing a more heroine side of her from then on.[citation needed]

Studio Pierrot's Settei sheets of Sakura show her high sandals add 1 centimetre onto her height in in Part 2, making her 161cm without the high sandals.

Studio Pierrot has consistently given her the height of 148 cm at 12yrs, instead of 148.5 cm as her Databook profile gives her.

Sakura, like Hiruzen, is one of two individuals to have been a student of two Hokage. Hiruzen was a member of Team Tobirama and a disciple of Hashirama Senju, the first Hokage. Likewise, Sakura was a member of Team Kakashi and a disciple of Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage.

Quotes

(To herself about Naruto) "Always acting like a fool who only knows one thing… Hokage, Hokage. I'm sorry Naruto… that impossible dream of yours… I don't want to see it crushed!"[72]

(To herself) "I've always considered myself to be a true ninja… but those were just empty words, because Sasuke and Naruto were always in the lead! But now it's my turn to take the lead, and all of you can watch me from the background!"[73]

(To Sasuke) "I… I love you with all my heart!… If you were to stay here with me, there would be no regrets… because every day we'd do something fun, we'd be happy I swear!… I would do anything for you! so… Please just stay with me!"[17]

(To Chiyo) "I may not have amazing weapons like a puppet in me, but what I do have is my master's contempt for losing!"[74]

(About Naruto and Sasuke) "Naruto's here because he's made up his mind… my resolve is nothing compared to his now! I'm supposed to be a ninja, but all I've ever done is lean on him and cry… I was supposed to change that… I came here and I thought I was ready. But I can't do anything… I can't say anything. The only thing that remains for me… is to believe in them!"[75]

(To the Allied Forces after being inspired by Naruto) "He's making us realise that he considers all of us his comrades!!! I'm going to make sure Naruto has a full recovery! Every one of us must do what's in their power! If we're going to die any way… …then it's better to die fighting than to do nothing!!"[76]

(To Naruto while giving CPR to him) "I'm not going to just allow someone to die so easily on my watch! (Later) That ridiculous dream of yours… just look now. I won't let you die… you're not dying on me, you hear me! No matter the cost, there's no way that I will let you die!! Just look now… that dream is right in front of your eyes!!!"[77]

(To her daughter) "Sarada, you and I are very precious to your dad. That's exactly why he can't come home. I don't think you'll be able to understand it now...but the day will come when you do."[30]